One Thing Leads To Another
by xXBalorBabeXx
Summary: With changes to a storyline, no one really thought that the balance would shift so much. (AU, co-written with Cry-Of-A-Warp-Engine)
1. Turning Around?

' _New changes to storyline, will explain more later at the American Airlines Arena.'_

Amanda was about to get up from the bed in her and Finn's hotel room when he stopped her, noticing her slightly tanned skin had lost its color a bit.

"You rest up, lass." Finn said.

"We have a show to get ready for, that's why we took the flight here last night." Amanda responded, her and Finn having gotten into Miami around 1 in the morning from Orlando and reached the hotel at 1:30 with some of the others… it was just a little after 7 now but clear to Finn that the 5 ½ hours of sleep didn't do much to help Amanda's tiredness.

"And you need more sleep… just another hour or so, you also need to eat." Finn replied.

Amanda let out a low groan at the thought of food, her stomach having been unsettled for the past few mornings.

"Yeah, I figured you'd react like that but you can't run on low energy." Finn said as he lightly rubbed Amanda's shoulders.

Amanda slept for another hour and a half before getting ready for the day after a shower, wearing a white cotton and lace bralette instead of her usual push up bras… they had felt too tight on her chest and it was hurting her. When she put on a _Bulletproof Balor Club_ tank top and white lace shorts, Finn noticed that it was a size bigger and guessed that Amanda was choosing to be comfortable today… but even with the roomier clothes and hardly any makeup on, she still looked beautiful to him.

But he also noticed that she was trying not to look as pale as she did, which worried him… Finn walked over and carefully wrapped his arms around Amanda's waist, Amanda hissing slightly as Finn's right hand brushed against her slightly sore stomach.

"I'm keeping a close eye on you today and tonight." Finn whispered, kissing Amanda on her forehead.

"I have that segment with Kevin Owens where he accuses me of backing out of the Royal Rumble to let Sami have my spot in it…" Amanda replied.

"Well as long as it's semi-scripted. A lot of them are more like guidelines than having to nail them to the word." Finn said, noticing how she was stood with her aching stomach. "You sure you're alright? Looks almost like you ate something bad."

"I'm okay." Amanda responded as she leaned against him.

At the arena later, Amanda and Finn were waiting in the meeting room with Hunter.

"Where is everyone?" Amanda asked, sipping her lemon tea.

"No idea." Hunter responded before they saw Dean and Roman bring coffee in and Dean saw Amanda drinking her tea.

"Don't need the rush?" Dean asked, Amanda nodding before everyone from Raw, SmackDown and NXT filed into the meeting room.

"Been a bit worried about Sylvia lately…" Roman said after a few minutes of quiet as everyone still arrived and sat down. "She's spent a lot of time locked away on her own in her room lately."

"She's not adjusting well, is she?" Amanda asked after she and Finn sat down.

"Not entirely. She's recovering alright, she's not so jumpy and traumatised now. She used to jump behind the couch whenever the front door opened, even if it was someone she knew. She's alright on that score now, but… use a loud voice around her, or move quickly or even ask her to get you a glass of juice or something. She still looks at you and tenses… almost like she still feels like she'll be beaten for not doing it right." Roman explained.

"It'll take time to…" Amanda said quietly, Finn catching a frisbee that was thrown at Amanda.

"This is an outdoor toy, Little Miss Bliss, not a weapon!" Finn replied, Alexa growling.

"Give me that." Dean said, taking the frisbee and throwing it at Seth, who yelped as it hit his head and turned around.

"You with a frisbee could rival Liara's damn archery!" Seth shouted, remembering when he'd had to miss a couple of events when Liara had turned and shot him in the upper arm with an arrow as he was trying to shout at Amanda again.

"Don't look at me, he did it." Dean said, pointing to Mojo Rawley and the ex football player turning angry.

"No, she did it!" Mojo responded, pointing at Amanda.

"Dude, not cool!" Amanda replied.

"If people don't shut up then _someone's_ gonna finish it!" Hunter called out as he stood at the front.

Amanda, Mojo, Dean and Seth closed their mouths, Hunter nodding and turning to the podium.

"So as of recently, there's been some frustration expressed about Cody's storyline character Stardust." Hunter said.

"I'd never have noticed…" Amanda muttered, Finn glancing at her and placing his hand on top of hers as he knew she was a bit stressed and rushed after the frisbee attack moments ago.

"There is, what's the deal with a grown man painted up like that?!" Brandi questioned, Cody lightly rubbing his wife's left arm and Amanda narrowing her eyes as she felt like it was a cheap shot towards Finn as well.

"That was my idea, little sister in law… uh Hunter? What exactly are the changes?" Dustin replied.

"I'll put it simply. Stardust two." Hunter answered, everyone glancing at each other. "There was someone who showed interest in having at least a small role in a few shows, and with the recent frustrations, we saw no better opportunity for them to get involved."

"Quick question. Who exactly is it?" Finn responded, Cody glancing at him. "What, can't be curious?" He asked, Cody noticing that Finn seemed even more protective of Amanda.

"It's being kept secret, at least until it's closer to the event in which they'll feature. But I can say now that it's someone the majority of us know already." Hunter answered.

"Can I go off topic for a minute? Why the hell is he treating her like a glass doll?" Cody asked.

"Because he's not treating her like a table, like you seem to be!" Dianne called out.

"A… table?" Enzo questioned, sat beside her.

"Used when convenient, otherwise left to sit in the background." Dianne answered.

"Any more questions?" Hunter asked before Kevin stood up. "Is this about Mandy being pulled from the match last night? That'll have to wait til later." He said, Kevin undeterred.

"No, there won't be another gathering after this so I want an answer!" Kevin responded.

"Scale of 0 to riot, how pissed do you think he is?" Amanda whispered, Kevin walking towards her and Amanda and Finn standing up.

"Back off!" Finn said in a low angry tone, putting Amanda behind him.

"Oh, you want a riot, do ya?!" Kevin shouted, about to grab the nearest chair in the next row in front… but he didn't notice that it was Dianne's, and as soon as he put his hand on its back, Enzo kicked forward, sliding his chair back and trapping Kevin's legs between his chair and the row behind.

"Alright, everyone out!" Hunter shouted, everyone doing what he said and Finn holding Amanda close to him as Sami ran to them.

"Get your old friend to back off and stop treating her like this." Finn said quietly, Sami lightly rubbing Amanda's back before they saw Dianne slap Kevin.

"Keep up that act towards her and you'll get a pacifier shoved in your mouth, because you obviously either weren't taught or didn't listen to being taught about manners as a child!" Dianne shouted.

Kevin stormed off and re-read the script, which was the final edit for tonight.

When the show started, Amanda was about to explain what had happened last night when Kevin walked out there, seemingly calmer.

"The reason I was out… Sami needed it more than I did. And you need to man up and accept that he ain't gonna take being backstabbed lying down much like I didn't after The Shield disintegrated! I don't take anything lying down!" Amanda said, Kevin with his microphone in hand and a smug grin appearing.

"I'll bet you take Balor lying down though, don't ya? Or do you take him from behind on your hands and knees?" Kevin responded.

Amanda was about to respond when the lights flickered black and red and then off… and Kevin turning angry.

But before he could respond, the lights were back on and Kevin was sent flying out of the ring by Finn.

"Lesson learnt, don't go insulting a woman!" Jerry responded as he saw Finn and Amanda hug.

In the backstage area, Amanda's first response was to lie down on her left side and Finn crouched down, lightly rubbing his hand up and down her back.

"That was too far, what he said out there. I expected a little in the way of bad words, but that took the cake and then some." Finn said as he shifted to be sat on the floor, in front of the couch and beside Amanda as he still lightly massaged her back.

"Any chance of him being yanked off the air?" Amanda asked.

"I think they get the idea, it's on the commentary stand right now and if he's talking, they've muted his microphone." Finn replied as he looked up at the TV on the wall across the room.

Amanda turned towards him after sitting up and arched her back before attempting to stand up… only when she did, her legs started to shake and Finn caught her and got her to sit back down.

"Just rest yourself, okay?" Finn said, lightly rubbing her shoulders for a second before he headed across the room to the small sink mounted to the other wall, getting a glass of the cold water which the tap dispensed. "I have a feeling you were after this, at least partially." He said as he carried the ½ pint glass back over to her.

Amanda drank it… she had no idea what was going on.

But she needed to find out.


	2. Chain Of Events

_**1/24/16, Amway Centre, 4 hours before the Royal Rumble…**_

" _Mandy? Still not feeling all that great?" Becky asked as Amanda avoided finishing the half eaten vanilla and red velvet cake in the catering area… she, Becky, Finn and Sami were celebrating Becky's birthday a few days early but Amanda once again felt tired and her stomach felt even more unsettled than it was earlier._

 _Amanda nodded, chalking it up to stress from the changes to storylines and creative not telling them why. She set the fork down and felt Finn rest his left hand on her right knee, Amanda resting her right hand on Finn's left hand._

" _I'm sure whatever they have in mind, they'll explain it in time… try not to stress yourself out over it, okay?" Finn responded before the two hugged._

" _I'm gonna go lie down for a bit… try to rest." Amanda replied after they let go and she stood up and left._

 _Amanda stopped in a hallway and leaned against the wall, running her hands over her face for a few seconds._

" _Get a grip, Cena… it's just work related stress, there's nothing actually wrong… there's nothing wrong with being pulled from the rumble match, what's the worst that can happen anyway?" Amanda muttered… and she was completely unaware that Paul Wight, known to the wrestling world as Big Show, who had been stretching, overheard her and had walked over before resting his left hand on her right shoulder._

" _Taking too much out of you again?" Paul asked._

" _I want to smack those jackasses in creative for holding out on what they're changing, it's driving me nuts." Amanda answered as they sat down on a production crate. "Dianne was right earlier, I'm just overthinking things." She said as Paul lightly rubbed his hand up and down her back before leading her to her locker room and helping her lie down._

 _Once he was sure she was okay, he let her be… but about ten minutes later, Amanda was jolted awake by a script smacking against her left knee and looked up to see Kevin glaring at her._

" _Get your skinny ass up!" Kevin demanded._

" _Don't you respect your co-workers privacy? I was sleeping!" Amanda responded as she opened her eyes fully and saw the script. "So what? I'm not feeling great so they gave Sami the 20th spot in the match." She replied before trying to settle back into sleep… but Kevin wasn't relenting and yanked Amanda up to her feet, Amanda slapping him hard across the face and Kevin letting go and reeling back, right hand going to his mouth before the door flew open and Finn ran to Amanda, putting himself in front of her._

" _You need to get that bitch under control!" Kevin yelled._

" _You barged in here while she was resting up, she wasn't bothering anyone! So what was so damn important, Owens?!" Finn responded angrily._

" _He's gone off because they took me out of the match." Amanda explained after Finn gripped her right hand into his left one, Finn turning back to Kevin._

" _It's a last minute decision because she nearly lost consciousness at the live event last night, can't put someone in the ring when something serious like that happens! What, did you think she was just trying to get out of the match? That's not how she is." Finn responded, Kevin turning to him in disbelief._

" _Well she sure doesn't look ill at all! Maybe she's just growing lazy in her older age, maybe she's even heartless enough to be lying to you about it as well! She feels vulnerable in a bed alone, you know, she has to have someone to fill that space!" Kevin shouted in response._

 _The punch that echoed also knocked Kevin down, Kevin rubbing his head before he pulled himself up and left… Finn turned to Amanda, who's face was red as tears fell down it._

" _Owens wouldn't know the truth if it jumped up and bit him, Mandy. Anything that's gonna cause what happened last night is serious." Finn replied as Amanda's hands rested on his._

" _I… I really don't know why hearing that hurt, he just…" Amanda responded, her voice starting to crack as Finn cradled her face in his hands. "I don't know what's wrong… if it was a migraine making me feel like this, I'd know what to do but my head's not hurting." She said quietly as she felt his thumbs brush her tears away before they held each other, Finn lightly rubbing his hand up and down her back as Aestrid walked in._

 _Aestrid turned and left, catching up with Kevin and forcing him to turn around before punching him._

" _Feel like a man now, huh, hurting her like that?! That make you feel good about yourself?!" Aestrid hissed angrily, Kevin touching his mouth before pulling his hand back and finding blood._

" _She's a lying bitch is all there is to it… she doesn't care about anyone else, you think she cares about you?! She'll stomp over your fallen body at the first opportunity for advancement that she gets, and it would be very, very far from the first time it happened!" Kevin shouted in response._

 _Aestrid was about to hit him again but Kevin turned and saw John._

" _You know… I really think you should be sent to anger management. But I can also think of different methods, Mandy is taken out of one match and you waste no time showing your true colors! So who's the careless one, huh?!" John replied, anger barely restrained._

 _Kevin left, Aestrid turning to John._

" _Those two used to actually get along in the early days at the Performance Centre… and then a switch flipped." Aestrid said quietly._

 _And John knew why…_

 **Present time…**

Amanda was intently drawing on a blank paper on her sketchbook, hoping it would be a design for her to use for her Demon Queen paint for NXT: TakeOver: Dallas when the door opened.

"Mandy…" Dean called out, Amanda not hearing him as she had her earbuds in and _Signal To Noise_ by Peter Gabriel was playing. Dean walked over and crouched down, pulling the left earbud out and Amanda turned to him.

"Helps me think straight." Amanda responded after closing her IHeartRadio app out and setting her phone and earbuds aside as Dean saw that the wings drawn on the paper looked like they were mythological. "What do you think so far?" She asked as Dean rested his head on her left shoulder… and accidentally jarred her body, which aggravated the ache in her stomach and Dean turning concerned when he saw her cringe.

"You've always been a hell of an artist… but you still don't look alright, you sure about going back out there later?" Dean questioned.

"Have no choice, we have to kick off the starting changes in the storyline tonight." Amanda responded, Dean putting his hand on her forehead and then to her face. "What are you doing? Dean, I'm not coming down with a cold." She said as he put the thermometer in her left ear after turning the thermometer on.

"That's what you said the last time." Dean responded before pulling the thermometer to him. "Normal." He said after shutting it off.

"See? Not sick." Amanda replied as she started to stand up… but she stood up too fast and Dean caught her before she fell and helped her sit back down as the door opened and Finn walked into the room and over to Amanda, sitting down next to her and resting his hands on her shoulders.

"Stay here with her." Dean said before leaving and reaching the trainer's room as Dr. Amann was checking that everything was in order.

"Dean, everything alright?" Dr. Amann asked.

"Mandy really isn't well, and you know what she's like with not admitting it. She's got no headache, no temperature, yet some real bad dizziness." Dean explained.

Grabbing what was needed, Dr. Amann followed Dean to the locker room… and turned sympathetic when he saw her cringe when she saw the needle and vials.

"I know, Mandy but we've gotta find out what's wrong with you." Dr. Amann responded after crouching down, Amanda extending her left arm and her right hand grabbing Finn's left hand… and squeezing it when the needle went into her arm, Finn lightly rubbing his right hand up and down her right thigh.

At the same time, Hunter was reading through the script when Roman stopped by.

"Hey, Hunter, got a second?" Roman asked.

"Of course." Hunter answered, Roman walking in and closing the door. "Going through a list but we need someone who the fans haven't seen before for the new role."

"Liara and Sylvia found one of the scripts and they like how it's all set out so far." Roman explained, Hunter looking at him.

"I expect they do… certainly takes front over a few I've seen in my time too." Hunter replied.

"Yes it does and whoever's picked is gonna be in a hell of a spotlight…" Roman responded before both heard the door open and saw Stephanie.

"Steph, you okay, what's wrong?" Hunter asked as he stood up, seeing the worried look on his wife's face.

"The doc's running blood tests on Mandy, she nearly passed out again." Stephanie explained, Roman and Hunter standing up and following her to the locker room… Amanda's arm was bandaged and Hunter walked over and sat down, resting his hand on her back.

"Won't let me go back out there, I take it?" Amanda responded as Hunter let her lean against him.

"Not until you can stand without nearly hitting the ground, kiddo." Hunter answered, kissing her on her forehead.


	3. Bringing Back What Was Good?

"Hey, what's going on?" Cody asked after Stephanie found him about 20 minutes later.

"Mandy can't go out there on commentary, she's barely able to stand up." Stephanie explained, Cody turning worried.

"Does anyone know what's wrong?" Cody asked before they saw Sylvia.

"Not yet… hey, Sylvia." Stephanie responded.

"Hey…" Sylvia replied, fidgeting slightly with the black, red and silver gloves.

"Gloves, nice ones. Why…" Stephanie responded. She trailed off, before her eyes widened in shock. She was about to speak, but Sylvia subtly raised a finger to her lips and gave her a wink, knowing she had figured it out.

"A little nervous about it though… were you the same way when you first appeared on Tv?" Sylvia asked.

"A bit… I was a little older but anyone would be nervous." Stephanie answered.

"Something tells me that something's off though… Mandy's not feeling alright, is she?" Sylvia replied.

"She's been a bit off all week… we all have those times though, you of all people know that." Stephanie answered, Sylvia nodding.

"Bloody right about that." Sylvia responded, narrowing her eyes slightly as she thought of the long time she felt 'off'.

When it was time for the triple threat number one contenders match involving Cody, Bray Wyatt and Dean Ambrose, Seth was on commentary alongside Michael Cole, Jerry Lawler and Bradshaw.

"Well we were supposed to have two guest commentators out here tonight but because of unknown reasons, Mandy isn't out here tonight. Seth, in your opinion, would whoever wins this match deserve to face you for the title at Elimination Chamber?" Jerry responded as the match progressed.

"Doesn't matter if they're deserving or not, I'll walk into Elimination Chamber as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion and leave as champion. Any other questions?" Seth answered.

"Any thoughts on what might be going on with your former Shield Sister? It's not like her to..." Michael responded, Seth turning to him with narrowed eyes.

"I don't have any idea, and I couldn't give a damn either. That ring is a whole lot prettier with her backstage, better yet out of the damn town and building!" Seth growled in response.

In the locker room, Amanda tensed up after hearing that... and Finn lightly rubbed his right hand up and down her back.

"Well one thing hasn't changed, the writers still like to draw inspiration from what happens off screen… I wonder how he'd actually react if you and I took off for a few days." Amanda replied as she leaned against Finn, who wrapped his arms around her as the match ended with Dean pinning Cody… and when he was out of the ring, Sylvia had walked down the ramp and helped Cody up, Seth turning startled at seeing her.

"You look like you've seen a ghost, Rollins, you know her?" Bradshaw questioned as Seth took his headset off and stood up abruptly before leaving.

In the backstage area, Seth found Roman.

"The hell's going on, you let your own kid out there?" Seth responded.

"I didn't just let her out there. Haven't you been taking any notice? The new stuff with Stardust… introducing Sylvia." Roman replied after turning to look at him.

"Roman-" Seth started to say.

"Don't even try it, she's not hurting anyone… can't say the same for yourself, can you though? So much for civility, something is actually wrong with Mandy." Roman responded, Seth knowing that Roman was referring to what Seth had said about Amanda and Seth muttering to himself. "Care to repeat that louder, if you would?" He asked.

"May have been scripted but it came from the damn heart!" Seth responded angrily.

"Oh I bet it did… something's actually wrong with her and you want Mandy gone. And what if it did happen again, Seth, what if she has another seizure?!" Roman growled, Seth tensing up after hearing that… and sitting down on a production crate.

"As a person, she's fine, really… as a wrestler, she's just… in my way." Seth answered, before looking up at Roman. "Right now, all I've heard about her being ill is the way it's been affecting things, well I couldn't give a damn about it. The moment it's like those seizures… the moment it's nothing to do with the business or anyone else, the moment it's just Mandy as a regular human being, then… that Shield sister is still there."

Down the hallway after opening the door, Amanda's eyes closed and she stepped back and closed it… Finn stood up and walked over, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and feeling the tears hit his forearms before turning her around and holding her closer to him.

"If he felt that way… why didn't he just tell me to leave back then if I was in his way?" Amanda responded, her voice trembling.

"I guess he was a little bit sensible and knew you wouldn't no matter what he asked." Finn replied in a slightly quiet voice, more of a soft one.

"So he shoved me away… it wasn't even worth salvaging to begin with." Amanda whispered as they let go and stretched out on the couch, Finn holding her in his arms again as her head rested on his left shoulder.

At the hotel later, Seth could feel the tension when he walked onto the second floor… and the second he turned, he was slapped by Nikki.

"Fuck! What was that for?!" Seth yelled.

"Things like that should be said to the person's face, you fucking coward! Now she thinks that yours and hers entire friendship was a lie!" Nikki shouted, Seth realising that she knew and lowering his right hand… knowing that Amanda knew now.

Seth headed to the hotel room and knocked on the door… when it was opened, Finn narrowed his eyes at him and Amanda had her back to the door with the covers halfway over her head.

"I'd advise you to leave, you've done enough damage!" Finn responded, Seth glancing back to where Amanda was… and then leaving. Finn closed the door and locked it, walking over to the bed and climbing under the covers, Amanda's puffy and reddened eyes tiredly observing him as he kissed her on her forehead before they fell asleep.

If they had it their way, peace wouldn't be fleeting anymore.


End file.
